Luna 25 photographs lunar surface - Roscosmos

MOSCOW. Aug 17 (Interfax) - Roscosmos published a photo on Thursday of the lunar surface taken by the Luna 25 automated interplanetary spacecraft.

"The Luna 25 automated spacecraft, flying in a circular orbit as an artificial satellite of the Moon, photographed the lunar surface with STS-L television cameras," Roscosmos' press service said.

The photo shows the southern polar crater Zeeman on the far side of the Moon.

The photo was taken at 08:23 a.m. Moscow time on Thursday, Roscosmos said. It will provide more information about the crater.

Luna 25 measured flows of gamma rays and neutrons from the lunar surface, and the craft's equipment received readings for space plasma and the circumlunar gas-and-dust exosphere, Roscosmos said.

The spacecraft began orbiting the Moon on August 16.

Russia launched the first lunar mission in its modern history on August 11. A Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle coupled with a Fregat upper stage and carrying the Luna 25 lander lifted off from Vostochny Cosmodrome.

Luna 25's touchdown on the lunar surface is scheduled for August 21, Roscosmos CEO Yury Borisov said.

Luna 25 is part of Russia's lunar program, and the first Russian lunar mission pursued by NPO Lavochkin to explore and make practical use of the Moon and circumlunar space using landing craft.